Case Closed?

Here is another original take on a subject — specifically, some well-known historical events that have baffled historians and researchers. Each of the nine chapters describes a great mystery and tells us how scientific tools and research are, in some cases, able to provide definitive answers about what happened. These mysteries span the globe and take the reader from ancient Egypt to the twentieth century. A CAT scan helps an archaeologist determine if an unknown mummy is the missing female pharaoh, Hatshepsut. A filmmaker and a NASA scientist search for a missing Arabian city using the space shuttle. Scientists were able to find large traces of lead in the bodies of three of the men travelling in Franklin’s expedition, suggesting that lead poisoning was responsible for their deaths. And what book of historical mysteries would be complete without the Russian princess, Anastasia? With DNA testing, there is now scientific proof that Anastasia was murdered with the rest of her family in 1918. These are just some of the mysteries that modern science has probed.

Each chapter begins with a brief outline of the question, and is followed by a synopsis of the lost person or place. We then move to “Case Open” and follow the scientists through their process of discovery. There are useful little area maps, drawings and photographs, all nicely laid out. The science is made accessible to a young reader in the interesting and well-written text. It would also work as a read-aloud to prompt discussion in science, technology or history classes. There is detailed index and brief glossary of scientific terms.

In each of these nine mysteries, readers get the opportunity to read the historical file on the case, meet investigators from various scientific backgrounds who are researching each mystery and study the tools and techniques they have at their disposal. As modern science sheds new light on each mystery from ancient to modern times, readers will learn whether these scientific detectives can finally declare — CASE CLOSED!